Chapter 71

**The Consequences**

The atmosphere in Egnand felt charged, as if the very air held its breath in anticipation. Athena paced in her small apartment, her heart racing with anxiety. After the confrontation at the temple, the council had succeeded in retrieving the ancient artifact, and she could feel the consequences of their actions looming overhead like a dark storm cloud. The bond between her and Lucifer felt fragile, almost like glass, ready to shatter at any moment.

The memories of the battle replayed in her mind—the shouts, the bursts of power, and the desperate looks exchanged between her and Lucifer. She remembered how they had stood together, united against the council's greed and ambition, but now the aftermath settled heavily on her shoulders.